Gaseous electric discharge device



arch 12, 1935. P. HERRE 1,994,312

GASEOUS ELECTRIC DISCHARGEDEVICE Filed Jan. 23, 1934 i ji Fri C11 2 2 g1 2 K K Inventor:

BY cc/$759M NEY Patented Mar. 12, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEGASEOUS ELECTRIC DISCHARGE DEVICE Application January 23, 1934, SerialNo. 707,984 A In Germany February 2, 1933 4 4 Claims.

The present invention relates to gaseous electric discharge devicesgenerally and more particularly the invention relates to such devices ofthe negative glowtype commonly known in the art as cathode glow lamps.

The object of the present invention is to provide a cathode glow lamp ofsmall size and of simple and sturdy structure, the manufacturing cost ofwhich is reduced to a minimum. Still further objects and advantagesattaching to the device and to its use and operation will be apparent tothose skilled in the art from the following particular description.

In accordance with these objects of the new and novel cathode glow lampcomprises a tubular container and electrodes mounted on support wiressealed into the opposite ends of said tubular container. Each of saidsupport wires is parallel to the longitudinal axis of said tubularcontainer and the electrodes-are mounted on the central portion of saidsupport wires. One end of each of said support wires is broken off closeto the point where it emerges from the end of said container and theother end thereof is connected to a base attached to said container asby being cemented thereto.

In the drawing accompanying and forming part of this specification threeembodiments of this invention are illustrated, in which 3 Fig. 1 is aside elevational View of one embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 2 is a similar view of another embodiment of the invention, and

Fig. 3 is a similar view of still another embodiment of the invention.

Like numbers denote like parts in all the figures.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawing the new and novel cathode glow lampcomprises a tubular container 1 having a gaseous filling thereincomprising neon, argon, helium, krypton, or xenon, or mixtures of thesegases with each other or with a metal vapor, such as mercury vapor.Electrically conducting support wires 2 and 3 are mounted in saidcontainer 1 by sealing the ends thereof in the ends 4 and 5 of saidcontainer 1. Said wires 2 and 3 are parallel to each other in saidcontainer 1. Two cylindrical electrodes 6 and 7 of aluminum, iron, ornickel, for example, are mounted on the mid-portion of said wires 2 and3 respectively and are clamped thereon by pinching the end parts 8 and 9of both said electrodes 6 and 7. Said wires 2 and 3 consist of aconducting material, such as iron, nickel, copper, or the like and canalso be a composite wire consisting of an iron-nickel 'c'ore having acopper sheath commonly used as current leads in gaseous electricdischarge devices due to its excellent sealing qualities with variousglasses, such as lead glass.

Cylindrical bases 10 and 11 are attached to ends 4 and 5 respectively ofsaid container 1. One end of said wire 2 extends beyond the outer wallof the end 4 of said container 1 and is connected to the base 10, as bywelding or soldering these parts together. Similarly, one end of wire 3extends beyond the outer wall of the end part 5 of said container 1 andis connected to the base 11.

The structure of the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 2is similar in all respects to that illustrated in Fig. 1 except that inthis embodiment the electrodes 6 and 7' are of plate shape and aresoldered or welded to said wires 2 and 3.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 3 the electrodes6" and '7" consist of twisted, stranded wires shaped in the form of asingle wire and are welded or soldered into the mid-section of saidwires 2 and 3 respectively in such manner that said electrodes 6" and'7" form the mid-section of said wires 2 and 3 respectively. In otherrespects the structure of this embodiment is the same as thatillustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing.

The electrodes in all three of the embodiments of the invention arecoated with an electron emitting material, such as the earth alkalimetals or combinations of these metals, particularly barium oxide, whendesired. The form of the electrodes illustrated in Fig. 3 isparticularly well suited for the application of electron emittingmaterial thereto-as such material penetrates the interstices between thestranded wires to form a reservoir of electron emitting material toreplenish the coating of said material on the discharge supportingsurface of said electrodes 6" and. '7".

The container 1 is exhausted through the nipple shaped end 5 thereofwhich end 5 is sealed-off after the container 1 has first been exhaustedand filled with the desired gaseous atmosphere, such as neon. The newand novel cathode glow lamp lends itself readily to manufacture byautomatic or semi-automatic machinery due to its simple structure whichreduces the manufacturing cost thereof to a minimum and the sturdystructure thereof simplifies the transportation problems in connectionwith such devices. The cathode glow lamp can have very small dimensionswhich is of great advantage in mounting the lamp.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out in the annexedclaims certain novel features of the invention, it will be understoodthat various omissions, substitutions and changes in the forms anddetails of the device illustrated and in its use and operation may bemade by those skilled in the art without departing from the broad spiritand scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States is:

l. A cathode glow lamp comprising a tubular container having a basemounted on each of its ends, electrodes and electrode leads sealedtherein, a gaseous atmosphere therein, said electrode leads extendingthe full length of said tubular container parallel to the longitudinalaxis of said container, the ends of said leads being sealed into theends of said container, each of said leads being attached to one of saidbases other than that to which the other of said leads is attached, saidelectrodes being mounted in opposite, parallel positions on said leads,the distance between said electrodes being less than the distancebetween said leads.

2. A cathode glow lamp comprising a tubular container having a basemounted on each of its ends, electrodes and electrode leads sealedtherein, a gaseous atmosphere therein, said electrode leads extendingthe full length of said tubular container parallel to the longitudinalaxis of said container, the ends of said leads being sealed into theends of said container, each of said leads being attached to one of saidbases other than that to which the other of said leads is attached, saidelectrodes being hollow tubes clamped in opposite, parallel positions onsaid leads.

3. A cathode glow lamp comprising a tubular container having a basemounted on each or its ends, electrodes and electrode leads sealedtherein, a gaseous atmosphere therein, said electrode leads extendingthe -full length of said tubular container parallel to the longitudinalaxis of said container, the ends of said leads being sealed into theends of said container, each of said leads being attached to one of saidbases other than that to which the other of said leads is attached, saidelectrodes being plates attached in opposite, parallel positions on saidleads.

4. A cathode glow lamp comprising a tubular container having a basemounted on each of its ends, electrodes and electrode leads sealedtherein, a gaseous atmosphere therein, said electrode leads extendingthe full length of said tubular container parallel to the longitudinalaxis of said container, the ends of said leads being sealed into theends of said container, each of said leads being attached to one of saidbases other than that to which the other of said leads is attached, saidelectrodes being stranded wires forming the mid-sections of said leads.

MARGARETE HERRE, min ERPEL, GERDA HERRE, URSULA HERRE,

Heirs of the Estate of Peter Herre, Deceased.

